Rudy Molard just outside the top 10
# Rudy Molard Climbs in the Standings at Volta a Catalunya
In a strong show of consistency, Rudy Molard finished twelfth in a shortened fourth stage of the Volta a Catalunya, marking his fourth consecutive day in the top 20. This performance has propelled the seasoned French cyclist into seventh place overall, setting the stage for a thrilling competition as the race gears up for the real battle after Thursday’s events.
The original plan for the stage involved high-mountain terrain culminating in the classic ascent to Vallter 2000. However, adverse weather conditions, particularly fierce gusts at the summit, led race organizers to adjust the finish line to Camprodón, shortening the stage to 151 kilometers. This change effectively transformed what was meant to be a challenging climb into a feast for the sprinters, albeit still featuring 2,800 meters of elevation gain.
Maxime Decomble took an early chance, initiating a breakaway with four other riders. Stéphane Goubert acknowledged the dynamics of the race, stating, “There hasn’t been much fighting for the break in the past few days…Today, the first intermediate sprint came relatively early, so there might have been more movement. We tried; Maxime went in a move at the start, but the peloton controlled it to chase the bonus seconds, and they were caught.”
As the stage progressed, only two riders remained in contention up front, with the peloton effectively managing the pace. In a dramatic finale, Groupama-FDJ United aimed to leverage Rudy Molard’s abilities, capitalizing on a slight uphill gradient in the final kilometer. “We wanted to play our card with Rudy because of that 200–300 metre climb in the last kilometre,” explained Stéphane Goubert. “He came up well and was in the top five at the summit.”
Despite a promising strategy, changes in wind conditions and the race’s flat finale prevented Molard from breaking into the top 10. Nevertheless, his twelfth-place finish stands as his best result of the week, following previous placements of 15th, 19th, and 19th since Monday.
Following this stage, the 36-year-old rider is positioned seventh overall, with teammate Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet in thirteenth. Goubert maintains a positive outlook for the coming high-mountain stages: “It was a slightly long day because there wasn’t much racing, but two high-mountain stages are coming, and we’re going to be active. Tomorrow, the sequence of climbs should suit Guillaume. There’s strong competition, but we’ll focus on doing things right, and on this type of course, the result will almost take care of itself.”
As the race continues, all eyes will be on Molard and his teammates as they gear up for the upcoming challenges in the mountainous landscape of Catalunya.
